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Chelsea beat Marseilles at Stamford Bridge A first-half goal by skipper Dennis Wise proved decisive for Chelsea as they avenged last week's nightmare in the south of France. Yet after watching his side stutter and wobble, at times defending with all the certainty of a new-born horse making its first tottering steps, Vialli knows they must raise their game several notches if they are to harbour genuine hopes of reaching May's final in Paris. This was Chelsea at their sloppiest, never looking like the team who so impressed against AC Milan and Lazio, with Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly particularly slapdash. Fortunately Marseille were not good enough to take advantage, and Wise's emphatic finish gave Chelsea the points. But they will have to improve markedly in the next two weeks if they are to keep their hopes alive.Vialli had demanded a more clinical approach from his players after last week's unexpected reverse in the Stade Velodrome. However, the manager was sparing in his use of the knife, keeping faith with the French trio of Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf and offering them the chance to redeem themselves. Jon Harley and Dan Petrescu were axed in favour of Celestine Babayaro and Jody Morris, but the main change saw Gustavo Poyet pushed into the hole behind Tore Andre Flo and Gianfranco Zola. It was a far more attacking policy, and Poyet's importance to the tactical plan was demonstrated in the first minute when the Uruguayan flashed a 20-yarder across the face of Stephane Trevisan's goal. Chelsea could not afford to lose their 42-year unbeaten home record in Europe, but a more realistic target was to avenge last week's defeat. Vialli's men allow themselves the luxury of starting as if they only had to turn up to claim the three points, as had appeared the case in France. Certainly there was more conviction about them, especially down the right flank. There was also a touch of over-eagerness, demonstrated when Deschamps, responding to the criticism of his commitment, caught Cyrille Pouget high and late to earn an early caution. Chelsea's penetration down the right wing looked as if it could prove profitable as Marseille were without a natural wing back and when Poyet's flick sent Flo scurrying away in the 12th minute, the opener should have come. The Norwegian did well to pick out Zola, only for the Sardinian to mis-hit his shot, allowing Jean-Pierre Cyprien to block. Even so, it was an encouraging sign, and Chelsea were even closer soon afterwards when Flo forced a corner on the right. Wise's delivery found Poyet, and Babayaro, four yards out, nodded the ball goalwards but Trevisan flung up his fist and punched the ball to safety. Trevisan had been in outstanding form last week and Chelsea did not need to be reminded of his athleticism but there were worrying echoes of their own complacency when Leboeuf, under no pressure, gave possession to Robert Pires, who slipped the ball to Pouget for a shot across the face of goal. The move gave confidence to the French side and Desailly was forced to make one important block from Pires. But then everything changed when Chelsea took the lead. The initial mistake came from Cyprien, heading up in the air, but former Blackburn man Sebastien Peres compounded the error by misjudging his jump and giving Flo the space for a cross. Allowing Zola, of all people, to win the aerial challenge was criminal, and although Wise did not know too much about it as the ball hit his shoulder, he showed genuine composure to drill home his eighth goal of the season and his third of this European campaign. Cyprien was less happy, instantly presenting the ball to Zola, who pushed it too far ahead, giving Trevisan the opportunity to grasp it. While Deschamps, lucky not to be sent off after bringing Jerome Leroy to the ground, was seemingly set on proving he is the captain of the world champions, his two French teammates were less secure. Lebeouf presented an opening for Ibrahima Bakayoko which needed Ed De Goey's diving intervention, before Albert Ferrer's right knee foiled Leroy. But the greatest proof of Leboeuf's lack of form came just before the break, after a clash with Bakayoko on the halfway line. There was no doubt that the former Everton striker got up and pushed Leboeuf. But the dive which followed, the defender flying backwards in comic-book style, deserved the booking that it received. Yet Chelsea left the pitch at the break aware that they could have sewn the game up, with Babayaro somehow unable to take advantage of the confusion Poyet caused in the air. The way Chelsea were defending, a one-goal lead threatened to be insufficient, with Desailly soon suggesting, with another careless pass, that the half-time break had had not helped him rediscover his form. But Marseille had to score to keep alive their realistic hopes of progressing, and that gave Chelsea openings to exploit. Zola, who had only scored three times all season, wasted one opportunity five minutes after the restart. His lack of conviction was apparent when he applied a weak finish to Poyet's pass. The striker showed slightly more self-belief with a 25-yard free-kick when Morris was fouled by Stephane Dalmat, although Trevisan watched it go wide of the target, before Peter Luccin's heels prevented Poyet playing Flo through on goal. And Chelsea should have been made to pay 15 minutes from time when Dalmat's overhead kick caught the home side ball-watching and Jacques Abanardo stole in but then snatched at the opening and sent the ball rocketing over the bar.
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